TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The New York Yankees were dealt a significant blow as their star third baseman, DJ LeMahieu, suffered a left calf injury during his first appearance in spring training. Acting as the designated hitter, LeMahieu was forced to exit the game on Saturday after his second at-bat in New York’s 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros.
Manager Aaron Boone expressed concern over the untimely injury, stating to reporters, “That’s not ideal, just with all that he’s had to deal with. We’ll see what we have there, and we’ll see how significant it is. These soft tissue things have popped up on him, so it’s at least a little concerning.”
This injury adds to a series of setbacks for the 36-year-old LeMahieu, who concluded last season on the injured list due to a right hip injury. This came after he missed the initial months of the season following a fractured right foot sustained from a foul ball during spring training.
These previous injuries limited LeMahieu to just 67 games last season, where he posted a career-low batting average of .204 along with only two home runs and 26 RBIs. As LeMahieu, who is under contract for two more years out of the six-year, $90 million deal he signed in 2021, was anticipated to be the Yankees’ primary third baseman, his absence due to this recent injury may necessitate either Oswaldo Cabrera or Oswald Peraza to step up and fill the position.
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